Gas-engine



(No Model.)

J. A; MENCK 8a A. HAMBROGK.

GAS ENGINE.

Patented Mar. 18, 18 84..

N. PETERS. Pholohlhngnphur. Walhinglnn. D. c.

Nrrn STATES ATnNr *riucn.

JOHANNES A. MENGIC AND ALEXANDER HAMEROCK, OF OTTENSEN, NEAR ALTONA, GERMANY, ASSIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO "WM. E.

I-IALE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

GAS-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 295,415, dated March '18, 1884,

Application filed January 5,1884. (No model.) Patented in Germany April 25, 1879, No. 113,673, October 10, 1879, No. 13,674,

and January 6, 1880, No. 14,763.

T on whom it rim-y concern:

Be it known that we, J OHANNES A. hLIENCK and ALEXANDER HAMBROCK, residents of Ottensen, near Altona, Germany, have invented certain Improvementsin Gas-Engi nes, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to iii-at class of gasengines in which a piston is moved forward by the explosion of charges of explosive gases introduced at the rear thereof; and ourinvention consists in certain means and devices, fully set forth hereinafter, whereby to insure uniformity in the character of the charges, regularity in the operation of the engine, facilitate the discharge of the spent gases, and the construction and operations of the engine.

In the drawingghigure 1 is aside elevation of our improved. engine in part section. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan. 3 is a section on the line :0 11 Fig.

The cylinder Wcontains the reciprocating piston 0, attached to the rod C, which is connected by rods 0 with the crank of the shaft V. An exhaust-port, r, at the forward end of the cylinder, is always in communication with the exhaust-pipe r, and with the atmos phere, so that the air or gases pass freely to and from the front part of the cylinder as the piston reciprocates. A second exhaust-port, 3o r is arranged to be uncovered by the piston as it reaches the forward end of its stroke, to permit the gases which have imparted the forward motion to the piston to escape until the pressure within the cylinder is no greaterthan 3 5 that of the atmosphere. The backward movement of the piston is effected under the momentum of the fiy-wheel U. The cylinder is longer than the stroke of the piston, or the head His extended to form a chamber, X, at the rear of the piston, into which the charge of explosive mixture is introduced and there exploded. This chamber will also receive that portion of the spent gases of the previous charge which remains after the exhaust has been closed, and is compressed by the back action of the piston, these remaining gases, by their contact with the fresh charge, aiding in heating and expanding the latter, so that the explosion is effected under a greater pressure than would otherwise result. It is most 5c important, in order to secure uniformity of action and continuous explosions, that the explosive mixture shall contain uniform proportions of gas and air-a result which cannot be secured where they are drawn into the main cylinder by the forward motion of the piston. To attain this end, we measure prior to each explosion both the proportion of gas and of air in separate chambers and force the desired quantities into the main cylinder, so 6c that all the explosive charges are absolutely uniform.

The measuring devices are pumps, consisting of cylinders A. B, aarallel to the cylinder NV, and provided with pistons s t, operated 6= from a crank, A on the shaft V. The airpump has an air-inlet valve, a, which lifts to permit the air to enter the pump as the piston 8 moves forward, and it has also a checkvalve, 2,1'11 a passage, 0, communicating with 7c the main cylinder, and closing as the piston 3 moves forward, but opening'to permit the air to pass to the cylinder \V as the piston is carried back. Each valve has a spring, which tends to hold the valve to its seat. The gas- 7 pump is closed at the end by a check-valve, a, hold to its seat by a spring, and so arranged that the end of the piston twill come into contact with the face of the valve as the piston completes its stroke, thereby insuring the Sc expulsion of every particle of gas, and preventing the inaccurate measurements that would result if any gas remained in the pumpcylinder, to be either expanded or condensed. The pump-cylinder communicates through a passage, d, with the gas-pipe f, saidpassage containing a check-valve, e, which rises to permit the gas to enter the pump.

The pumps or measuring devices A B are relatively proportioned to insure the measurr ing at each stroke of a charge containing the relative volumes of air and gas to produce the best result, and the charge is forced under pressure into the cylinder, and is there exploded after the piston G reaches the limit of 93 its backward motion, either an electric or flame iguiter being used. If a portionol' the spent gases is compressed in a chamber at the rear of the piston 0, it will dilute and render non-explosive the charge subsequently forced into them unless means is adopted to prevent this result. Such means consists in contracting the end of the chamber X, where the fresh charge is introduced, so that the new charge will displace the spent gases and momentarily fill this part of the chamber. The springs which press the valves to their seats are relatively so compressed or proportioned by nuts or other adjusting means that the air will begin to pass from the pump and force the spent gases from the contracted part of the chamber X before the gas-charge enters the chamber; and the cranks may be so set that the air and gas charge will be forced into the cylinder as the gases therein reach their greatest compression, thereby securing increased pressure and the explosion of the charge when at its greatest density. By i'1nparting a heavy spring-pressure to the valves or z, the contents are retained in the cylinders A B until near the end of the stroke, so as to prevent a premature injection of the charge and .mixture with the spent gases.

. It will be obvious that the measuring devices may be variously constructed and operated by different appliances, it being important, however, to have such a construction as will insure the positive, accurate, and uniform measurement of the air and gas prior to the introduction and explosion of each charge.

It will be seen that by the construction described we control the measurement and ad mission of the air and gas and the discharge of the spent gases by the use of check or selfopening valves, the complication of mechanism, friction, and loss of power which result from the use of slide-valves and other positively-driven valves being thereby avoided.

By contracting the chamber X as described, we are enabled to secure such advantages as an explosion of the charge in contact with a body of gases with which the charge is not mixedan effect which only partially results,

if at all, where the charge is directed behind the gases in a chamber of uniform size.

By putting both portsr' r into communication with the exhaust-pipe, the outward motion of the piston insures a rapid outward current in the pipe before the exhaust is opened, so that on opening the exhaust the escaping gases have no impact against a stationary volume of gases, their withdrawal being thereby facilitated and shocks and noise reduced.

By providing'a free exit for the exhaust gases through aport uncovered as the workingpiston reaches its forward position, and by admitting the charge at the opposite end of the cylinder, a speedy reduction of the pressure as or after the piston reaches its forward position and a ready exhaust of the gases are effected, and the traverse of the gases from the inlet to the outlet is in one direction without counter-currents.

WVe claim 1. The combination, with the working-cylinder of a gas-engine, of devices constructed to measure separately and accurately the proportions of gas and air required for each explosive charge, and operating appliances whereby said devices are operated to throw the air and gas separately from the pumps directly into the ei'lgine-cylinder prior to each explosion, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the working-cylinder of a gas-engine, an air measuring and forcing pump communicating directly with said cylinder, and a gas measuring and forcing pump, also communicating with said cylinder, and devices whereby said pumps are operated to measure off and force into the cylinder prior to each explosion the gas and air required for the charge, substantially as described.

3. The combination,with the working-cylinder and air measuring and discharging pump, of a gas-pump provided with an outlet-valve so constructed and arranged that its flat face shall make contact with the flat end of the piston, to insure the expulsion of all the contents of the cylinder, for the purpose set forth.

4. A gasengine having a working-cylinder and piston, a cylinder provided with a piston and communicating with a gas-inlet pipe, an independent cylinder provided with a piston and communicating with an air-inlet, and passages between the air and gas cylinders and the working cylinder provided with checkvalves, substantially as described.

5. A gasengine provided with devices for measuring and injecting the explosive charge at the rear end of the cylinder as the piston moves back, and with an exhaust-port at the front end arranged to be uncovered as the piston approaches the limit of its forward motion, the piston acting as the valve controlling said port, substantially as described.

' 6. The cylinder provided with an exhaustport arranged to be uncovered by the piston as it reaches its forward position, and a port communicating with the space in front of the piston, and an exhaust-pipe communicating with both ports, substantially as described.

7. The mode of facilitating the discharge of the spent gases from the cylinder of a gas-engine, which consists in producing an outward current in the exhaust-pipe prior to opening the exhaust-port, substantially as described.

8. A gas-engine provided with an inlet-port for the charge, and with a chamber at the rear of the point reached on the back-stroke of the piston, contracted at the point where it communicates with said inlet-port, and means for forcing the charge into said chamber on the back movement of the piston, for the purpose set forth.

9. The combination, with a gas-engine having a chamber at the rear of the piston, of a pump for forcing in the explosive charge, and operating devices whereby the introduction of the charge is completed at the time the gas in the. chamber is at its greatest density, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

10. The combination, with the cylinder hav- IOC' ing a chamber behind the piston, of devices In testimony whereof we have signed our for forcing in the explosive charge, and valves names to this specification in the presence of constructed to lift only near the termination two subscribing witnesses.

of the stroke, for the purpose set forth.

5 11. The combination, with the valves eon- J OH. A. MENOK.

trolling the passage between the air and gas ALEX. HAMBROCK. measuring pumps andthechamberX,ofsprings and appliances whereby to regulate the pressvW'itnesses: ure on the valves and the flow of gas from the H. SOHRADER,

:0 pumps, for the purpose specified. CHARLES R. How. 

